Rhapsody 5

Homer commentary

A sampling of comments on Odyssey Rhapsody 5

2017.04.13 / updated 2018.10.07 | By Gregory Nagy The rhapsody starts with the releasing of Odysseus by one goddess and ends with the mystical saving of his life by a second goddess, who is Leukotheā, the White Goddess. The beautiful Leukotheā saves Odysseus by undoing her hair and giving him as a life-saver the veil that had held her curls in place. As for the first goddess, who is Calypso,… Read more

Homer commentary

A sampling of comments on Iliad Rhapsody 5

2016.07.28 / updated 2018.09.08 | By Gregory Nagy The momentum of the war is spirited, and the fighting mood of the warriors verges on overreaching. An outstanding example is Diomedes, who already owns a glorious past as a conquering hero in the epic tradition known as the Sons of the Seven against Thebes or Epigonoi. Now in the epic present of the Iliad he has a chance to outdo himself,… Read more